Conference Information
Proceedings: VCTA Statewide Conference ‘How are we Travelling?’ 23/24 May 2011 in Bendigo
The 2011 VCTA Conference, ‘How are we Travelling?’ was held in Bendigo on May 23/24. It was very well attended by people and organisations from across the community transport sector, including local government, state government, non-government organizations and academia. We were also fortunate to have a range of private sector sponsors support and attend the conference. For more about the sponsors, including links to their home pages, see link below. The Conference concluded with a workshop titled: The Journey Ahead: developing a shared understanding of community transport. For a copy of the Workshop Report, scroll down to the bottom of this page to the proceedings of the final session on Day Two.
The Conference proceedings are published below, beginning with:
Conference Sponsors Links and thank-you!
Day 1
The Keynote Presentation on Day One was Future models for Community Transport in Victoria by Professor Corinne Mulley, founding Chair in Public Transport at the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney.
Presentations from the morning session of Day One were:
Putting the Community into Transport
- Damian Ferrie, Executive Director Community and Place Division, Victorian Department of Transport
Community Transport- Best practice & innovation in service delivery in NSW
- Caroline Mason, Principal Manager Local and Community Transport, NSW Department of Transport
Recent developments in Community Transport provision: Experience from Britain
- Professor John D Nelson, University of Aberdeen
Presentations from the after-lunch session on Day One were:
Department of Planning and Community Development
- Fiona Patterson, Policy and Program Manager Transport Connections
New programs at Travellers Aid
- Jodie Willmer, CEO
Kingston Age Friendly Transport Project
-Erin Pattie, Community Engagement Team, City of Kingston
HACC
-Jeannine Jacobson
Unfortunately, Jeannine Jacobson, Manager HACC & Assessment, Aged Care Branch, Victorian Department of Health was ill and unable to attend the conference and speak as scheduled in the final session on Day One. She indicated via text message that she would be happy to receive and answer questions from the audience and have these published as a Q/A on the VCTA website. With VCTA Treasurer and LINK Community Transport CEO Michael Gourlay chairing, the Conference used the time available for a question and answer session on HACC related community transport issues. Subsequently, a letter was sent to Jeannine with the following questions:
- What is Victoria’s current approach to COAG negotiations about the future of HACC administration?
- What changes in HACC administration should Victorian HACC providers prepare for by 1st July 2012 and 1st July 2015?
- Are Victorian HACC administrators fully aware of the extent to which they do in fact fund community transport? What data exists to describe the amount and type of HACC funding provided in Victoria for community transport?
- Do HACC and other key areas of Government; DOT, DPCD and DHS keep in contact on a regular basis with each other regarding community transport matters (and in turn keep in contact the VCTA and the sector in general)? Would HACC be an enthusiastic participant in new, more appropriate and regular cross-government and sector-government community transport information exchange forums?
- Is it true that HACC have done a review of Volunteer Co-ordination and Social Support programs? If so could information about the review/s be shared with the VCTA?
- In short what’s ahead for HACC in Victoria in general and specifically for community transport?
As soon as Jeannine’s answers become available, we will publish them here.
Australian Community Transport Association
- Ben Clarke, Network Services Officer, NSW Community Transport Organisation
Day One finished with a presentation from Ben Clarke, Network Services Officer of the NSW Community Transport Organisation (CTO). Ben provided background to the development of the Australian Community Transport Association (ACTA).
Day 2
Day Two first morning presentations were:
Community Transport Stocktake
- Presentation of results and discussion led by Ipsos-Eureka with Emily Simatos, Social Transit Unit, Department of Transport and VCTA (Copy to be posted at later date)
Behind the Bus Seat: The Impact of Transport in Rural Victoria
- Jo Richie. Grampians Pyrenees Flexible Transport Project
The before lunch session on Day Two, included:
Bus Safety Act, tools Q&A
- Transport Safety Victoria
Complying with the Bus Safety Act
- Phil Whiting, TransAccess
The Journey Ahead: developing a shared understanding of community transport
The final session on the afternoon of Day Two was devoted to a Workshop: The Journey Ahead: developing a shared understanding of community transport. Many thanks are due to the Victorian Department of Transport who provided a facilitator and other staff to support and run the workshop. It was a very interesting session with ideas shared between community transport providers, government representatives and others present. A summary of the workshop (25 pages) is provided above in PDF format.